WAC Basketball: Broncos are hoping for a repeat

Oct. 31, 2008

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No. 5 Boise State

Coach: Greg Graham, (seventh year)Last season: 25-9 overall, 12-4 WAC (tied for first place) Returning starters: One (PG Anthony Thomas)Player to watch: Anthony Thomas, jr.: The former WAC Freshman of the Year is the team's top returning scorer (8.5 ppg), assist man (4.1 apg) and rebounder (2.5 rpg). He started all 34 games for the Broncos last season and will be expected to shoulder even more responsibility this season with the loss of All-WAC players Reggie Larry and Matt Nelson. The 6-foot, 205-pound point guard handed out 141 assists last season "” the third-most in a single season in school history "” but must improve his shooting (43.7 FG percent and 33 percent from behind the arc last season).Why Boise State is No. 5: In addition to losing Larry and Nelson, gone are key components Tyler Tiedeman and Matt Bauscher, so Boise needs to replace its four leading scorers from last season. Several unproven players will have to produce if Boise State is hoping for a second straight postseason bid.Murray's prediction: Sixth in the WAC "” Thomas and Wyoming-transfer Ike Okoye are building blocks, but there probably aren't enough experienced supporting pieces on the team for a legitimate title run.Other tidbits: Boise State won its first WAC title last season and played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1994. ... The Broncos beat tournament host New Mexico State in the final of last season's WAC Tournament, slaying the host for the third time in the last five years (Boise State also beat Fresno State in 2004 and Nevada in 2005). ... The Broncos scored a program-high 2,767 points last season (a WAC-leading 81.4 points per game). ... Boise State recorded a program-high 25 wins last season, including a school-best 12 road victories. ... Boise State has only one freshman on its roster in wing Tyler Young, who signed with the team in 2006 and took a two-year church mission.

"” Chris Murray/RGJ

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Editor's note: This is the fifth in a nine-part series previewing the WAC basketball teams (in order from worst to first, according to the preseason coaches' poll).

The Boise State basketball team and fans of the program are hoping history repeats itself.

Last season, the Broncos began the season tabbed to finish fifth in the Western Athletic Conference by the league's coaches. They finished the season in the NCAA Tournament.

This season, the coaches again slotted Boise State fifth in their preseason poll. Whether the Broncos can repeat the success they enjoyed last year will depend on how well they can replace four key seniors.

As difficult as it will be to replace that production, Boise State coach Greg Graham said it will be equally difficult to replace that team's mentality.

"They just had a mental toughness about them, that they just weren't going to be denied," Graham said. "That's going to be a big step for us, (to see) if we can find that team chemistry and that heart to compete and do whatever it takes to win."

Two key returning pieces are junior point guard Anthony Thomas (8.5 ppg, 4.1 apg) and sophomore forward Paul Noonan (4.8 ppg). Noonan said he likes the depth of this year's team, even if the roster lacks experience.

"Last year, we had four seniors that really did a lot of things for us, so a lot of guys didn't have a chance to show what they can do," Noonan said. "I think we have some guys that people don't really know about."

Graham added four transfers to his roster (including Wyoming-transfer Ike Okoye) in an effort to reload. He said the Broncos are two-deep at every position.

"We have a very good group, but we just don't have a lot of experience on the floor," Graham said. "No matter how good new guys are it still takes a little bit of an adjustment period. I think that's what we're going to go through a little bit here in the preseason until we get to conference."

So, call the Broncos underdogs again this season if you want. That's not a label that stopped them from winning a program-best 25 games last year while earning a share of the WAC's regular-season title.

Even though there is much to replace from last season's team, Graham is optimistic his team can return to the postseason.

"I think our key for this year will be buying in like our four seniors last year," Graham said. "If we buy in, we will be all right."